Mixed feelings in Lanka camp

By Callistus Davy

Imagine the scenes. Ravindra Pushpakumara, a discard, thundering down in his strides and slamming the ball with all his strength to which Hashan Tillekaratne makes a solid defence.

A few minutes later in the middle of the field Sanath Jayasuriya lies on the ground holding his groin, struck by a delivery from uncapped paceman Ruchira Perera. In-between, injury-hit Muttiah Muralitheran bowls with a tennis ball under the watchful eyes of physiotherapist Alex Kontouri who himself is no different from the players as he runs from one place to another making sure his charges go through their paces.

The three episodes portray a riveting message, that even practising at the nets can be as equally demanding as the players would have it in a real game which to many may look so easy on the television screen. But it all happened in an afternoon at the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) ground in Colombo where the Sri Lankan squad to Australia trains in preparation for next month's tour of Australia, the place where both countries plan to settle old scores.

The mood in the Sri Lankan camp though is of mixed feelings. As the 15-member squad attempts to put behind two wretched tours of Bangladesh and Sharjah, the recovery of Muralitheran and Aravinda de Silva is being followed with intense concern. Both players are indulging in just light training and Aravinda is expected to play his first match in more than a month when he represents NCC in a domestic one-day series competition next week.

But the main worry is the condition of Muralitheran who has just over two weeks to train before passing a fitness test in the aftermath of a shoulder injury sustained nearly seven weeks ago. "We hope Muralitheran will be able to bowl by next week. The matter is left entirely in the hands of experts and we will go by the advice they give us", explains team manager Ranjith Fernando in the course of an interview while the players practised.

But if Muralitheran's case is in the hands of experts, the case of one of Sri Lanka's fastest pace bowlers, Ravindra Pushpakumara, does not seem to be in the hands of any expert. If Sri Lanka is to miss one paceman in Australia, Pushpakumara must surely drop into the slot. On the last tour to Australia in 1995/96, the 23-year old robust speedster plucked four wickets in the only Test he played and scooped up 2 for 34 in the first best-of-three finals against Australia in the three-nation limited over competition which also featured the West Indies. He bowled eight overs inclusive of a maiden and conceded 39 runs without taking a wicket in the second final.

But Pushpakumara seems to possess a past than a future. On more occasions he was left to fend for himself, a frustrating scourge for a lad who left behind a harsh and downtrodden beginning to reach for the stars. He plucked 11 wickets in two Tests on his maiden overseas tour during a drawn series in Zimbabwe and in the following year was a member of the team that gave Sri Lanka its first ever win on foreign soil in New Zealand. He was discarded for a tour of the West Indies, but was the pick of the bowlers taking 11 wickets in two Tests playing as a replacement for Chaminda Vaas.

Before breaking into the international scene, Pushpakumara captured the imagination of one of Australia's greatest fast bowlers in Dennis Lillee who took the then 17-year old Sri Lankan and presented him as a model during training at a fast bowlers' clinic in Madras. With forearms as tough as nails and the fitness of a fanatic, Pushpakumara would have been solid raw material in a country that treasures fast bowlers.

Presently he is fighting for a comeback after a three-month lay-off in the aftermath of a knee injury sustained on the recent tour of England. And that he is bowl-ing his heart out at the nets may be an inspiring factor to the Sri Lankans who cannot hide from the fact that lost pride has to be redeemed.

But Fernando believes that the losses in Bangladesh and Sharjah were eye-openers and is most optimistic that the Sri Lankans can bounce back in Australia. "The players must accept whatever mistakes they make and I think the important thing is to learn from mistakes and that's what true champions are made of. I think the Sri Lankans have got the right temperament and skills. They are mature cricketers playing like professionals and I think they will rise from the ashes", says Fernando.

Cricket - With Ranil Abeynaike

A string of victories

It happens very rarely that three Test matches are played concurrently and it is even more rare that all three should produce results. Simultaneously the Under 23 Inter-Club final between the SSC and CCC was played and that too produced an outright win.

Pitches play an immense part in a game that produces a result. Of course the required bowling strength must also be available for a side to exploit conditions. The Under-23 final was a classic case. The pitch had quite a bit of juice on the first session of day one. It required careful handling of the moving ball and the short pitched delivery. The requirement for any top order batsmen aspiring to succeed in big time cricket. In the matter of four overs CCC who elected to bat had lost three wickets. A hopeless start that really gets the bowlers' tails up.

Only one batsman got into double figures as the side collapsed for 52. Once a team falls to such a low depth only the opposition can win. After just half-a-day's cricket the visitors had surrendered. From then on it was a question of whether the SSC would win on first innings or outright. Full credit to the pace trio of Ruchira Perera, Dilhara Fernando and Suresh Perera. They made full use of the useful conditions on day one and then bowled purposefully on day three to help their side to an outright win.

Upeka Fernando produced the best batting in the game. It was a very matured performance by him. The hallmark of his play was that he waited for the bad ball to punish. He has the ability to hit the ball in the air with a mere wrist flick which clears the infield. The power of his strokes is another strong point. It is when playing on slower pitches that he will have to be more watchful and ensure a greater number of deliveries are played along the ground. Mahela Jayawardena continued his run of good form. Having being confined to only playing domestic cricket this season he must make most of this purple patch that he has struck and score a truck-load of runs.

Although Damith Hunukumbura and Bradman Ediriweera tried hard in CCC's second innings they could not prevent the inevitable. The tail was too long and they offered no resistance whatsoever, What a good start for the SSC in their Centenary season.

The most sensational win was produced by the Zimbabweans with their topling of the Pakistanis. The presence of Neil Johnson and Murray Goodwin in the Zimbabwe side makes them a more complete team. Johnson with his South African background and Goodwin with his West Australian background, are providing the fight under pressure. Something that they lacked in the past. The rest of the team too are now a very much experienced outfit and are working as a cohesive unit. Expect more such performances from them in the future.

The most lack lustre of wins was achieved in the traditional Ashes battle. The Englishmen have themselves to blame for the loss. Their batting lacked discipline and too many weak strokes caused their dismissals. This, combined with sloppy catching, forced them out of the contest. On pitches that are weighted to assist the bowler more than the batter, every advantage gained matters. Runs and wickets are absolutely precious. Every catch or even half catch has to be held. At the highest level players and their management should be able to work this out early.

In games that end under three-and-a-half days it is always the side that clings on to every minute opportunity that ends up winning. The Englishmen stopped and watched the opportunities go by whilst the Aussies leapt and grabbed every semblance of a chance.

The narrowest margin of victory was in the game between South Africa and the the West Indies. Again a game that didn't produce many big scores. Should the Windies have got a further 75 to 100 runs it could have made the difference. With another three games to go in this series it promises to be an exciting and closely contested affair. The men from the Caribbean are threatening to produce some of their brilliance of old, but are falling at the final hurdle where it matters most. The South Africans meanwhile, continue in their ascendency in both forms of the game. They are a side looking to reach perfection. Focused on the path ahead without distraction. When they fall they get up, simply brush off the dust and continue on the forward march. A very good example to follow.

The best thing that can happen in a long game of cricket is the achieving of a result. Whilst it is good to see batsmen scoring runs and at times breaking records there is nothing better for a team sport than a result. What would be even better is if both teams play to their best potential to provide an equal contest. There should be no cause for excuses at International level. After all they are the "role models" that others follow.

Pay hike for cricketers

Not only politicians, Sri Lanka's cricketers also have got huge pay hikes this year, earning more than even the biggest business tycoons.

According to startling figures splashed in the Ravaya newspaper recently the earnings of top cricketers for 1997 and 1998 are as follows:-

Letter

Furtherance of cricket gap will create chaos in Sri Lanka

Our master blasters in the calibre of world famous Aravinda, Arjuna, Mahanama will have to step down in another two or three years. Then who is to follow suit to carry on their good work in the next millennium? That responsibility will lie on half-baked poolists of this S.L. team, like Mahela Jayawardene, who has done extremely well in domestic cricket and in the global areas, by putting up good scores of centuries and half centuries. He is also a reputed fielder and an occasional bowler, to replace Kumara Dharmasena, if necessity arises.

If the selectors think that his services are not necessary for the Aussie Tour, shouldering gap to take future responsibilities will be nothing, but a furtherance, from what is happening today.

We who lament over less touring chances we get in England and Australia, should send these lads immediately we got the chance of giving them match practice necessary to bridge the aforesaid gap.

Kasturiarachchi Warnakulasuriya,
Piliyandala

In brief

• Nuski, life member MCC
• Independence Trophy Chess
• Shantha first in cycling
• Depot Police Basketball Tournament
• St. Anthony's College Wattala Champs
• Calling athletic officials
• Ranga shines for Negombo
• Nuwan, Mevan shine for Negombo

Nuski, life member MCC

Nuski Mohamed the present treasurer of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, was unanimously elected as an honorary life member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), by its committee, recently.

Mohamed, as an administrator has served the BCCSL as its secretary from 1982- '89 and has done yeoman service for the promotion and development of the game. He served under late Gamini Dissanayake, too when Sri Lanka achieved Test status under his stewardship. He is a die-hard supporter of cricket and was a live-wire of the Saracens with their clubhouse at Rifle Green.

It's a just reward for his persevernace as a cricket administrator. Though not a first class cricketer, he knows the ABC of the game. The secretary of the MCC, Roger Knight, conveyed to Nuski, that he was delighted at the committee decision to enrol him as a life member of the MCC for his contribution for the development of the game in the region.

The first to achieve this milestone as an administrator was the late president of the BCCSL, Robert Senanayake. Late Senanayake undoutedly an administrator par excellence, served the Cricket Board for 25 years and did much to uplift the game to reach international level along with his predecessor late P. Saravanamuttu, with their own men and material.

Independence Trophy Chess

The Independence Trophy Chess Under-20 championship is being organised by the Anatoly Karpov Chess Club at the Russian Centre in Colombo and it will be held from December 18 to 20. This championship will be sponsored by Lanka Orix Leasing Company Limited.

Shantha first in cycling

P.L. Ajith Shantha of Sri Lanka Army won the first place in the St. Lukes College, Ratnapura cycle race conducted by the Ratnapura District Cycling Association commemorating 150 years of cycling. Shantha took 4 hours 30 minutes 48 seconds to win the race, followed by M. Jude Priyantha, C.P. Meemanage, Ajith Priyantha, P. Yassaratne, T. Wickrematilleka, Sumith Sanjeewa, Nihal Jayaratne, Sampath Sanjeewa and A.M. Sumanaweera.

The attraction in this race was the father and son combination of A.M. Sumanweera and Krishantha Sumanaweera, still a schoolboy with sixty-two-year-old M.A.M. Nazrulla also adding sparkle to the event.

United Brewery sponsored the race.

Depot Police Basketball Tournament

Police Sports Club will conduct the most popular basketball tournament for men from today, December 13 to 19 at Field Force Headquarters (Depot Police) Basketball Court, according to R.E.C. Ranjan, Secretary, Police Basketball. This tournament is being played for Depot Police Cup. This tournament will be played according to the new rules and each club will be allowed to enter only one team and it will be conducted on a league basis. Late entries will not be accepted and the players must be above the age of 18 years.

St. Anthony's College Wattala Champs

St. Anthony's College, Wattala annexed the Lt. Col. Angelo Peiris Memorial Trophy in the Under-19 All Island Invitation Knockout Schools' Basketball tournament conducted by De Mazenod College, Kandana and organised by Gampaha District Basketball Association.

St. Anthony's College, Wattala played a well understanding game to beat D.S. Senanayake College, Colombo by 57 points to 51 points after leading by 28 points to 21 points at lemon.

Mrs. Angelo Peiris was chief guest and gave away the trophies to the winners and the runners-up.

Calling athletic officials

The Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) of Sri Lanka is planning to revise the Directory of Technical Officials published in 1995, in view of representations made by several athletic officials.

The AAA of Sri Lanka has invited all officials whose names do not appear in the Directory to contact the Hony. Secretary AAA of SriLanka, Lower Grand Stand, No 7A, Reid Avenue, Colombo 7 giving documentary proof of having passed the Technical Officials Examination conducted by the AAA. They are also requested to provide whatever information they have relating to their practical experience at officiating, particulary at events conducted by the AAA of Sri Lanka.

Ranga shines for Negombo

A brilliant knock of 82 by Ranga Dias helped Negombo CC to trounce Old Cambrians by 100 runs in their Division I limited-overs cricket match played in Negombo.

Damien Fernando with a brisk 51 helped Negombo to a mammoth 257 for 7 in 42 overs. Ruwan Fernando, Candric Croos and Ranga Dias with 3 for 45, 3 for 42 and 2 for 37 respectively bundled out the Cambrians for 157 with seven overs to spare.

Negombo CC - 257 for 7 in 42 overs (Ranga Dias 87, Damien Fernando 51, Ruwan Fernando 39 n.o, Asoka Jayamanne 22 n.o; D.Perera 4 for 53)

Old Cambrians - 157 (N.Crishantha 32, U.Maduwa 20, S.De. Mel 23, Candric Croos 3 for 42; Ruwan Fernando 3 for 45, Ranga Dias 2 for 37)

Nuwan, Mevan shine for Negombo

Nuwan Priyankara with a hard-hit 124 and Mevan Fernando, the 17-year-old Maris Stella player who scored 57, shared a fourth wicket partnership of 124 in only 98 minutes in their rain interrupted match against Kalutara Town Club on Sunday.

Nuwan had 14 boundaries with five sixes in his 124 while young Mevan had five fours and one six in his 57, which helped Negombo CC to amass 265 for 7.

Negombo CC - 265 for 7 in 50 overs (Nuwan Priyankara 124, Mevan Fernando 57, Lakmal Fernando 22, Ruwan Fernando 20 n.o, Ranga Dias 20; P.Perera 2 for 45, N.Silva 3 for 58)

Kalutara TC - 31 for 3 in 10.3 overs when rain stopped play.

Between the devil and the deep blue sea

Text and pictures By Ravi Nagahawatte

A swim in the sea for some is not complete without a try at something which brings about a sudden rush of adrenalin. For the people who thrive on this it has been proved that whatever they are looking for is directly related with a life or death experience. Some are serene enough at "safe quarters" till the devil in them comes out in disastrous proportions, turning individuals into macho men. They then use their limited swimming skills to explore whats ahead in the water and usually end up choked or drowned.

The sea, often, is like a great predator which promptly takes the life of humans who wander into its domain.

However despite this watery grave a few swimming strokes away from the shore the calm blue sea is very inviting to people who indulge in some kind of sports activity before they take a dip in the sea. But seldom do they realise that they are watched closely by a caring group of individuals, the life guards, the moment they step into the water.

It could be the fact that most have not had that horrifying experience of drowning. However this bunch of social workers do their round of duty regardless the boredom at times or the risk they take with their own life.

Piyadasa Silva, an official at the Life Saving Association of Sri Lanka, sees life saving as a social act rather than a sport. He was fresh, like a fish itself from the sea, after a swim and was more than gleeful to speak about this great humanitarian act.

"It sometimes looks like a miracle when we save them. There are times when you do not see the person who has drowned. But after some searching you are able to fish out the victim. Once I was clueless as to where a drowned person was when I felt a finger of the victim touch my body and pulled him out" said Piyadasa who has been involved in life saving for the past thirty five years. According to Piyadasa it had been Harry Nightingale, a reputed foreign swimming coach, who had introduced life saving to Sri Lanka in the early forties. He also stated that the life saving association which was formed a few years later has been in existence for the past fifty-one years. "There have been over two thousand recorded rescues since the Association was formed." Piyadasa revealed that participants in life saving can earn themselves a bronze medal after the successful completion of two years training. However he had observed that most participants did not continue from there onwards. "We hold the national life saving championship yearly and that day is also significant as the life saving day. We have the championship in the morning and in the evening we participate in religious observances at the Kelaniya temple. We end the day with that since the association does not encourage partying which may lead to the consumption of liquor by the members".

One of the life saving clubs which was doing duty last Sunday when "The Sunday Times" visited the Mount Lavinia beach was the Nalanda College Life Saving Club.

It's members added a sense of security to the activities which were happening that sunny morning as the holiday crowd made full use of the sea and the beach, whichever they chose for entertainment.

The bunch of schoolboys first chose an area with a width of fifty metres on the shore and got rid of the trash which was scatterd all over before putting up two flags on the borders of the selected surface. Then a couple of members were sent to look into dangers which lay ahead of the waters which were just ahead of that marked area. Minutes later the team captain received the "green light" from the investigative divers that the maked area was safe for bathing.

"The majority of people do not understand the function of the flags" said the leader of the club, Asitha Samarajeewa, who had been involved in life saving for the past four years. Samarajeewa has had the opportunity of saving many people but according to him what is saddening to note is the lack of co-operation by the people who come to swim.

"They just don't heed our warning signals and most often its by frightening these people relating drowning incidents that we can keep them out oftrouble." Asked why he chose life saving instead of sports activity, Samarajeewa had this to say. "In sports you only win medals. But in life saving you can save people and also get a lot of mental satisfaction.

Anuruddha Abeysinghe, another team member, sees it as a social event and not a sport.

"Its a great thing for our age to do" said Abeysinghe who once saved a drunkard who was struggling for survival hundred metres from the shore.

"How much good we do there are people who scold us" reflected Abeysinghe who recalled an incident where someone had asked him where he was till a person was drowning. "Some blame us and say that we could have arrived at the scene much quicker."

Life savers may not be showered upon with glittering trophies or medals. But one must take note that a life saved is a life gained.

A'pura cycle race

The Ranjith Anura Memorial Trophy men's cycle race will take place on December 27 in Anuradhapura.

This event which is being held for the sixth time is organised by the Ranjith Anura Cycling Club of Anuradhapura and is held in memory of the famous cyclist in the 80's - the late Ranjith Anura.

The event is scheduled to start at 7:30 a.m. and will commence in front of the Sumathi Newspapers. From this point the cyclists will proceed to Anuradhapura Public play ground via Kurunegala covering a distance of 122 miles.

The race will be flagged off by the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs S.B. Dissanaike.

Besides the main event there will be a standard event for women on the same day for the Challenger Trophy. This event is organized by businessmen in Anuradhapura and will be to a distance of 20 miles around Anuradhapura town.

A cash prize of Rs15,000/= and The Ranjith Anura Memorial Cup will be given to the winner of men's racing event and Rs 12,500/=, Rs.10,000/=, Rs. 7,500/=, Rs. 5,000/= will be given to the 2nd,3rd,4th and 5th placed cyclists. Rs. 2,000/= each will be given to the 6th to 10th placed cyclists while Rs.1,000/= will given to the other consolation places.

More Sports * Bens, Hindu on top * Karate or judo is all Sita can think of * Williamson's Direct Route to Tingle Creek * Umpires must act without fear * Scorers, here's the chance * Women powerlifters the pick at nationals * Peruvian Star a 'Cracker' * 'Lanka's path to victory'

Return to Sports Contents Page